Parihana Sutta
Discourse concerning the Decline of the Teaching
Silatthiti Vagga, Magga Samyutta
Mahavagga Samyutta, Samyutta Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka

        389. At one time, the Venerable Ananda and the Venerable Bhadda were staying in the Kukkuta monastery at Pataliputta. At that time, the Venerable Bhadda, after rising in the evening from his solitary retreat, came to where the Venerable Ananda was. After offering respectful greetings to the Venerable Ananda, and having said courteous formal words of felicitations, sat at one side. Having thus taken his seat, the Venerable Bhadda ad dressed the Venerable Ananda thus: "Friend Ananda, what would be the cause, what would be the reason for the decline of the Excellent Teaching? And, friend Ananda, what would be the cause, what would be the reason for the non-decline of the Excellent Teaching?

        Good, good, friend Bhadda; it is good that you have an enquiring mind; it is good that you have sharp intelligence and it is good that you have put a question for discussion. Friend Bhadda, did you not ask me, 'Friend Ananda, what would be the cause, what would be the reason for the decline of the Excellent Teaching? And Friend Ananda, what would be the cause, what would be the reason for the non-decline of the Excellent Teaching?"

        "Yes, I did, Friend".

        Friend, it is because of not cultivating the Four Methods of Steadfast Mindfulness and not practising them many times that the Excellent Teaching declines; and, Friend, it is because of cultivating the Four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness and practising them many times that the Excellent Teaching does not decline.

        And what are the Four? In this Teaching, Friend, the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and distress in the five khandhas .. on the sensation . . . p... on mind ... p... on mind-objects, with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and distress in the five khandhas. Friend, it is because of not cultivating these Four Methods of Steadfast Mindfulness and not practising them many times that the Excellent Teaching declines; and, Friend, it is because of cultivating these Four Methods Steadfast Mindfulness and practising them many times that the Excellent Teaching does not decline.

End of the Parihana Sutta,

the third in this Vagga.